In the Name of Love
by elsiecarson
Summary: QUARTET fanfic. A more fleshed out version of the Verdi gala and the aftermath. Jean and Cissy's closeness and Wilf's teasing and flirting.
1. Reassurance

Jean slips into her ivory dress for the Verdi gala. Cissy zips up the dress for her. "Wow, that feels really tight." Jean takes a deep breath in.

"It looks absolutely gorgeous on you. Reg will be blown away. He loves you very much, you know." Cissy looks at Jean seriously. "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror yet?"

"No, I haven't looked yet. I haven't seen me in it since I tried it on in the store." Jean tells Cissy.

Cissy turns Jean towards the mirror. "You look beautiful. This is the way you should feel every single day and look every time you step on stage."

Jean sighs heavily. "I just don't feel very pretty. I haven't for a long time."

"Wilf, can we get your opinion on Jean's dress, please? She's feeling a little self-conscious." Cissy calls sticking her head out the door of her and Jean's dressing room.

"On my way." Wilf calls back. He's happy that Jean and Cissy want his opinion. He knocks on their door. "Is everyone decent? I'm coming in."

"Yes, we're decent. Come in Wilf." Jean says. When Wilf enters the room she says, "I think you'd like it better if we weren't decent."

"Of course I would, but Reg would probably kill me for even thinking such things. He'd be furious with me for thinking such things about you." Wilf teases Jean.

"What do you think?" Jean asks turning in front of Wilf to show him her dress.

"I think you look absolutely spectacular. Reg's gift will go well with that." Wilf is in awe of how beautiful Jean looks.

"What gift?" Jean asks in confusion.

"He left you a gift on your dressing table. He told me about it, but would tell me what it is. He said I couldn't keep a secret." Wilf tells Jean.

Jean walks over to her dressing table and spots a present wrapped in purple paper. "I didn't even notice that when I came in." She carefully unwraps the present that is the size of an expensive necklace box. She opens the box and gasps. "It's beautiful."

Wilf looks over Jean's shoulder. "He's had that for a long time. It was meant to be his gift to you on your wedding night. Shall I put it on for you?"

Jean nods and passes Wilf the box. Wilf carefully takes the necklace out of the box and put is on for Jean. "It's beautiful." Jean whispers emotionally.

"It looks beautiful on you." Wilf says sweetly.

"I'll be right back." Jean says to Wilf and Cissy.


	2. Are You Nervous?

Jean walks out into the hall and calls, "Reg, where are you?"

"Right across the hall from you." Reg calls out to Jean. He knows Jean has found his present.

Jean moves as quickly as possible across the hall and opens the door to Reg's dressing room. Reg turns towards Jean. She moves towards him and throws herself into his arms. "Thank you for the present. It's beautiful and it's a very sweet gesture." Jean kisses Reg's cheek.

Reg hugs Jean loosely. This whole situation is slightly awkward. "You're welcome. It was always meant for you, but I suppose Wilf told you that."

"Yes, he did, but I'm quite that he did because you would never have told me that." Jean says seriously. "I'm wearing it. What do you think?"

"It looks beautiful on you. It was always going to be beautiful on you. Are you going to wear it for the gala tonight?" Reg asks as he looks at Jean. "The dress is gorgeous too."

"I am going to wear it tonight. I think it looks really nice with my dress. I'm proud to wear it and I'd be proud to say it's a gift from you." Jean says sweetly.

Reg kisses Jean's cheek. "Are you okay about tonight? How are your nerves." Reg asks with concern in his voice.

"I'm nervous, but I'm okay because I know I'm not performing all by myself. That's what used to make me the most nervous was my solos, my big, powerful arias. I'll be okay tonight and, don't tell anyone, but I'd love to see Anne Langley fail miserably." Jean jokes with Reg.

"We'd all like to see her eat a little humble pie, but her performances are half of the reason Beecham's stays open." Reg says seriously.

"We'll just have to make sure our performance covers the other half. I do not want Anne Langley to outdo us. She doesn't like me and I don't like her." Jean says seriously.

"Oh Jean, you're so competitive. That's not what this gala is about. We're here to perform and have a good time." Reg gently reminds Jean.

"Sure, and I bet Anne Langley never reminds all of you that the only reason Beecham's is still open is because of her." Jean says sarcastically.

"Of course she does that every chance she gets, but I don't let it bother me at all. She's just a diva with an attitude to match." Reg chuckles. Jean has good instincts about people. "Shall we go find Cissy and Wilf and get ready for our performance?"

Jean nods and says, "Cissy and Wilf are in our dressing room across the hall."

"You left them alone in a room together? That's not very smart. Come on, let's get back in there." Reg lets Jean walk ahead of him.

Jean is so comfortable in Reg's presence again and she wasn't sure that would happen. She turns suddenly and looks at Reg. "Cissy isn't in her dress yet! We were in our dressing gowns until I put my dress on 10 minutes ago!"

"You left Cissy and Wilf alone in a room and all Cissy's wearing is her dressing gown! Oh boy!" Reg sounds worried about the situation.


	3. You Have Beautiful Hair

Jean enters the dressing room. "Alright, we're here. You look very handsome by the way Wilf."

"Thank you, Jean." Wilf says happily.

"Will you help me with my dress now Jean?" Cissy asks her friend.

"Of course Cissy. Alright gentlemen, out for 10 minutes and then you can come back in and we can warm up before we perform." Jean pushes Wilf and Reg out of the dressing room. She takes Cissy's burgundy dress off the hanger as Cissy slips her robe off. Jean helps Cissy into her dress and zips it up for her. "You look lovely. Shall I fix your hair for you? You can't have it like that with the neckline on your dress."

"Oh, yes please. That's very sweet of you." Cissy says with a big smile on her face.

Jean sits Cissy down at her dressing table and pulls some hair pins out of a drawer along with a hair brush. She smoothes Cissy's hair with the brush and tucks it into an elegant French roll. She always did prefer to see Cissy's hair up and back off her face. "You have such beautiful hair, Cissy. You can do anything with your hair." Jean says as she deftly thrusts some hair pins into Cissy's hair. "My hair never looked as good up as yours did."

"I never know what to do with it. My hair can be so unruly with the curls." Cissy complains.

"Well, tonight it looks anything but unruly. You look absolutely beautiful. Wilf will be stunned." Jean gives Cissy a hug. "Shall we go find the boys?" Jean asks after she puts the last pin in Cissy's hair. She looks so elegant.

Cissy nods to Jean. "Let's go find them. We should be in the wings soon anyway."


	4. Flirting and Compliments

Jean steps out of the dressing room and looks around for Reg and Wilf. They're waiting for the two ladies right next to the dressing room. "We're ready now." Jean tells and Reg and Wilf.

"Good, we're up soon. We have enough time to warm up first though." Reg tells Jean.

"Cissy, come on out and show Wilf and Reg how you look." Jean says to her friend who she can see silhouetted in the soft light from the dressing room.

Cissy steps out of the shadows. Jean watches Wilf as his jaw drops when he sees Cissy. "What do you think?" Cissy asks as she turns slowly.

Wilf steps towards Cissy. "Cissy, my love, you look absolutely beautiful." Wilf holds Cissy's hands and leans forward and kisses her cheek.

Reg and Jean smile around Cissy and Wilf at each other. "Alright you two, break it up. Let's go." Reg teases Wilf and Cissy.

"Aw come on, let me savour this. How many more times will we get to do this?" Wilf asks as Reg glares at him. "Right, if I can't do that then Jean can we lean against each other so we don't have to go on stage with our sticks?" Wilf can see Reg bristle as Wilf's suggestion. It's clear that Reg still cares a great deal about Jean.

"If you want to do that we can, but don't you trust Cissy to hold on to you? We could prop you between Cissy and I and I can lean on Reg." Jean suggests to the group.

"That sounds pretty good. How can I turn down the opportunity to stand between two beautiful women?" Wilf teases.

"Wilf Bond you are an incorrigible flirt. It's so difficult to have a serious conversation with you." Jean teases Wilf.

"I love being a flirt. It's easy for me." Wilf retorts cheekily.

"Ugh, let's go. We're going to be late." Jean is tired of arguing with Wilf. Jean walks towards the stage with Reg. Reg helps her feel more relaxed. She can feel the nerves beginning to get the better of her.

Reg glances over at Jean and notices her nervousness. He reaches for her hand. "You'll be fine. Everyone here cares about you and supports you." Reg reminds Jean.

Jean sighs heavily. She knows Reg is right. It's just been a long time since she has performed at all. The fact that Anne Langley is also performing is not helping at all since she and Anne were once rivals for roles.

Reg kisses Jean's cheek and says, "You'll be fine. I have faith in you."

Jean sighs in relief. "That's all I needed to hear. I just need your support."

"You always have it, Jean. There's no question of that." Reg says seriously. He leans sideways towards Jean and says, "Marry me Jean."

Jean looks surprised for a moment and then says, "Yes, I will marry you."


	5. I'm Ready

"Are you ready for this?" Reg asks Jean gently. He wants her to be calm before the curtain opens.

"I'm ready now." Jean says to Reg with a smile.

"That's my girl." Reg is so glad that Jean is suddenly so confident in herself.

The deep red curtain opens on the quartet and Jean can feel her knees knocking under her dress. When she begins to sing she relaxes quite a lot. It feels so natural to be back singing with Reg, Cissy, and Wilf. The standing ovation they receive makes her feel so good. They take three curtain calls. Reg smiles at Jean who looks very happy.


	6. Let's Celebrate!

"Shall we go celebrate? I bought a bottle of champagne to mark the occasion." Reg asks Cissy, Wilf, and Jean.

"That sounds wonderful. That's a good idea, Reg. We have lots to celebrate tonight." Jean smiles. She's not sure how much Cissy and Wilf heard of her conversation with Reg.

"We certainly do have a lot to celebrate. The champagne is chilling in our dressing room." Reg puts his hand on Jean's back and steers her in the direction of the dressing room.

Jean sinks into a chair in Reg's dressing room. Reg pops the cork on the champagne and pours Cissy and Jean a glass. He passes Cissy her glass and then kisses Jean's cheek before he passes her her glass of champagne. "There you are, beautiful."

Reg pours himself and Wilf champagne as well. Reg sits on the arm of Jean's chair. "Congratulations on another wonderful performance." Reg says happily.

"Well done everyone." Wilf says after he sips his champagne. "So Reg, are you going to tell us what's going on with you and Jean?"

Reg looks down at Jean and smiles. "We're getting married." Reg puts his arm around Jean's shoulders.

"Again? We really do have something to celebrate then, don't we?" Wilf says with a broad smile.

"Yes, we really do have something to celebrate tonight. We're very lucky." Reg says seriously.


	7. Join Us Dr Kogan

Suddenly there's a knock on the entrance to Reg and Wilf's dressing room. "Come in." Jean calls out to the person on the other side of the screen.

Dr. Lucy Kogan bursts into the room with a wide smile on her face. "The four of you were absolutely brilliant! I've never heard anything so beautiful! The four of you are meant to sing together!" Lucy gushes.

"We know that now. Thank you, Lucy." Reg says politely.

"Reg and Jean have some news for you, Dr, Kogan." Cissy blabs.

"Oh Cissy, what if they didn't want everyone to know about this right away?" Wilf asks gently.

"It's alright Wilf. I don't know about Reg, but I'm okay with more people knowing about us." Jean says seriously.

"I'm okay with this too. Would you like a glass of champagne to celebrate with us, Dr. Kogan?" Reg asks the lovely doctor. "Jean and I are getting married."

"I'd love to have a glass of champagne. We have a reason to celebrate tonight." Lucy Kogan says as she sits down and Reg passes her a glass. "Congratulations Reg and Jean. I hope you're very happy together."

"I'd be happier right now if Reg would kiss me." Jean says cheekily.

"Reg, you haven't kissed her yet? What's wrong with you, man?" Wilf asks teasingly. "Kiss her already. She deserves that from you."

Reg sets his champagne glass down and turns towards Jean. He puts his hand on her lower back. He leans over and gently kisses her. He doesn't want to push her too quickly. He can't believe he's kissing her again after so long. He slowly pulls away from the kiss.

"Your kisses have gotten more conservative over the years. It's nice though. I've missed this with you." Jean teases Reg.

"My kisses are only conservative when we're with other people. Just wait until later." Reg whispers to Jean.

"Oh, it's just like old times!" Cissy says gleefully. She loves to see Reg and Jean this way.

"Well, I can guarantee that history won't repeat itself this time." Jean says solemnly.

"That's my girl. I'm proud of you." Reg says with a big smile.

"Thank you, Reg. That's so sweet." Jean stretches up and kisses Reg's cheek.


	8. I Despise That Woman

"Tonight felt so good. It hasn't felt that right, me singing, in a long time. Tonight felt so natural and right."

"You were brilliant tonight, Jean. It sounded the exact same as when we performed it all those years ago." Cissy smiles brightly.

"Well, I don't know if we were that good, but it did sound very good and I know we had more fun than Anne Langley did." Jean smirks cheekily.

Anne Langley sweeps into the room. "Darlings, you were magnificent. I was amazed." Anne says dramatically.

"Speak of the devil." Jean murmurs venomously. Reg is the only one who hears her.

"Thank you for the compliment, Anne." Cissy says gently. She always takes everyone at their word.

"You're welcome, darling. By the way Jean, I thought you looked marvellous up there tonight. Very elegant and proper." Anne says with a smirk.

"Well, I didn't think I was at an age to show off my assets quite as much anymore." Jean says pointedly. Anne is wearing a low cut dress.

"Well, I suppose not everyone ages well. I have to say I love the necklace. Is it new?" Anne asks as she walks towards Jean.

Jean smiles wickedly. She knows Anne has a thing for Reg. "It was a gift from Reggie." Jean says plainly.

"They're getting married." Cissy says gleefully.

"Well, enjoy the rest of your night everyone." Anne sweeps out of the room obviously upset with the new developments between Jean and Reg.

Jean and Wilf start to laugh when Anne Langley leaves the room. Jean turns her face into Reg's side. "Oh, she's such a diva."

"That's funny coming from you, Jean. Poor Anne, she's loved Reg since you and he got married the first time." Wilf says when he catches his breath.

"How do you know that?" Reg asks seriously.

"She told me once, a long time ago." Wilf tells Reg.

"Well, that certainly explains a few things." Reg thinks out loud.

"Oh you're clueless. She's been flirting with you for years." Wilf teases Reg. "We could all see it except for you."

"It's true Reggie. Even I noticed her attempts with you and you never noticed." Dr. Kogan says slyly.

"Well, that stops as of right now. Anne Langley doesn't get to have everything she wants, especially not this time." Jean says firmly.

"Anne Langley isn't half as beautiful as you are. You have nothing to worry about on that front." Reg says seriously after he kisses her cheek.

"Oh, you two are so sweet together. When Wilf told me how special the two of you were together I didn't believe him, but I do now. You adore each other." Lucy smiles wistfully.

Jean and Reg look at each other and smile. "Yes, I do adore her. I've never loved anyone the way I love her. I've spent my entire life since I met her, loving her and absolutely devoted to her."

"Even though I was married twice after I married Reggie it was never the same as it was when I was with him. We broke each other's hearts which was part of the reason I was so nervous to come here. I hadn't seen Reggie since the day he ran out of our wedding breakfast. Reggie's a proud man and my confession hurt him more than I realized at the time. I was so wrapped up in myself that it didn't seem to matter who I hurt. I'm so sorry Reggie." Jean says seriously.

Reg stands up, pulls Jean up out of her chair gently, sits down in the chair, and pulls Jean to sit down on his lap. She snuggles against Reggie and puts her arms around his neck. "I know you're sorry, Jean. It's okay sweetheart. We both made mistakes in the past, but that's the past and it doesn't matter anymore." Reggie envelopes Jean in his arms.

Jean buries her face in Reggie's beck and the other three realize that they probably need some time to themselves. Wilf notices Cissy yawn. "Can I walk you to your room, Cissy?" Wilf asks sweetly.

"Yes please." Cissy says with a yawn. It's been a long day for all of them.

Cissy and Wilf walk out of the dressing room after Wilf picks up his stick. "I think I'll head out too. Well done everyone." Lucy Kogan sets down her champagne glass.


	9. Why?

"That was a very quick departure by everyone. I think Wilf thinks we need time to ourselves." Reg says with a smile.

"We do have a lot to talk about and a lot to tell each other." Jean says gently.

"I never got remarried because of you. I've always loved you." Reg says seriously.

"When you had the opportunity to see me and perform with me you backed out though. Why was that?" Jean asks gently. She doesn't want to push Reggie too quickly. The whole relationship is still rather tentative.

"I just thought it would be too hard to see you again. I thought I'd be too emotional to perform well. I thought I could handle seeing you again, but I couldn't. I realized that when I couldn't even look at your picture in the newspaper. It struck me how much you were still affecting my life. It shocked me." Reggie admits. He's not afraid to talk about his feelings. Jean looks away from Reggie and he hears her sniffle. He passes her a handkerchief from his pocket. "That's the second time since you've got here that I've seen you cry. I haven't decided if the fact that I've made you cry twice, since you were here, is a good thing or not." Reggie says teasingly.

Jean sniffs again and then softly chuckles. She cuddles against Reggie and kisses him passionately. She can't quite believe this is happening. When she first came to Beecham's Reggie wouldn't even talk to her. She's so attracted to him. She runs her hands across his chest. She knows his tuxedo is getting wrinkled sitting the way they are. "I don't think the tears are a bad thing. At least I'm showing an emotion other than anger. You're going to need to have your tuxedo drycleaned now because of the way we're sitting." Jean teases Reggie.

"Well, we always send all the costumes out for drycleaning, so we'll just send my tuxedo out for cleaning at the same time. It doesn't matter at all. I love you, Jean." Reggie says seriously.

"I love you too, Reggie. I'm so happy. I must admit I'm surprised about all this. I didn't think we'd even get to be friends. I adore you." Jean says lovingly.

"I adore you too. I have for my entire life." Reggie kisses Jean softly. After he pulls away from the kiss he notices Jean yawn. "Shall we go upstairs?" Reggie asks gently.

"I suppose we should. Are you going to stay?" Jean asks as she uncurls herself from the chair.

"Am I going to stay where?" Reggie asks cheekily.

"Are you going to stay in my room with me tonight?" Jean asks seriously.

"Aren't we rushing things a little bit here? We've only just got back together." Reggie asks. He's a little bit shocked.

"Reggie, we're not young anymore. I don't want to waste any more time together. I know you're a little old fashioned, but that shouldn't stop us anymore." Jean says trying to persuade Reggie.

Reggie looks at Jean and smiles. "You're right. We're not getting any younger. Come on, let's go up to bed."


	10. Don't Use the Stairs

Jean picks up her stick and when she takes her first step she stumbles. She's been sitting for too long and she's gotten stiff. Reggie reaches out and catches Jean. "I'm alright. I'm just stiff. I just need to walk it off."

Reggie puts his arm around Jean's waist and says, "Just take it slow. I don't want you to get hurt because you are unstable on your feet."

Jean smiles at Reggie. He's such a sweet, honest man. She leans on her stick and against Reggie. He's a slight man, but he's quite strong. The walk back to Jean's room is slow.

"Jean, please use the chair lift for once. It will be easier for both of us and you'll be less sore in the morning." Reggie requests gently. Jean is stubborn.

"I'm not going to argue about that right now." Jean says tiredly. She sinks onto the chair lift.

Reggie walks slowly up the stairs next to Jean. "I would carry you up the stairs if I could." Reggie says sweetly.

"I know Reggie. You are a true gentleman for certain." Jean reassures Reggie. Jean carefully stands up when she reaches the top of the stairs.

Reggie holds Jean's hand as they walk towards her room. "I'm going to pick up some thing I need for tonight and I'll be right there."

"Alright, I'll see you soon." Jean kisses Reggie's cheek and walks slowly down the hall to her room. She sinks onto the side of her bed. Her eyes fill with tears as she thinks about today. Reggie has been so much more kind than she ever imagined and now the world feels exactly the way she always hoped.

Reggie comes into Jean's room carrying his pyjamas over his arm. When he sees jean in tears again he tosses his pyjamas on the bed and sits next to her. He pulls her into his arms. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just so happy! I can't believe this has happened!" Jean sobs in Reggie's arms.

"Yeah, you really look like you're happy, Jean." Reggie teases Jean.

"I really am happy. I promise." Jean says with a weak smile.

"Good, I'd hate to know that I made you unhappy in any way." Reggie kisses jean firmly. He pulls her onto his lap and continues to kiss her. He wants her to feel beautiful.

Jean puts her arms around Reggie's neck. "You have never made me unhappy except when you left our wedding reception and when I came here and we spoke for the first time. I love you dearly. I always have."

Reggie runs his fingers through Jean's hair. "I love you, my darling." Reggie says sweetly. Something about Jean makes him more sentimental and teasing. He's more gentle with Jean.

Jean kisses Reggie confidently. "I'm going to go put my nightgown on. I'll be right back." Jean strokes a finger down Reggie's face. She picks up a black nightgown and her dressing gown and slips her shoes off.

"I'll change while you're doing your toilette." Reggie says gently.

"Can you unzip my dress for me part way?" Jean requests.

"Of course I can. Come here." Reggie stands up and stands behind Jean.

Jean slides the shiny cardigan off and feels Reggie slowly unzip her dress drawing a shaky breath as he does. "That's fine right there. I can unzip my dress the rest of the way."

"Alright sweetheart." Reggie softly kisses Jean's cheek.


	11. My Perfect Moment

Jean walks into the bathroom with a wide smile on her face. She carefully unzips the rest of her dress and shimmies out of her dress. She sits down on the toilet lid and slides her pantyhose off with a happy sigh. She feels so much less restricted without her pantyhose on. She slips her bra off and pulls her nightgown down over her head and ties her dressing gown at her waist before she steps out of the bathroom. When she comes back into the bedroom Reggie is sitting against the headboard reading a book he brought with him.

"Hello beautiful." Reggie says when he looks up from his book with his glasses on the end of his nose.

Jean blushes and climbs into bed next to Reggie. "Hi handsome. Can you take this necklace off for me?" Reggie reaches out and carefully unclasps it passing it over Jean's shoulder into her hands. Jean leans over and kisses Reggie. She leans her head on his chest and Reggie puts his arm around her waist. The whole situation feels so natural. Reggie sets his book on the bedside table and kisses Jean passionately. She leans into the kiss. Reggie doesn't want to end the kiss and Jean doesn't seem to want to end it either. Reggie knows that he's not ready to make love to Jean yet and that kind of activity will be more rare now. Jean is so soft under his hands. He knows how lucky he is. He can feel Jean working to unbutton his shirt and he immediately pulls away from her.

"Jean wait. Do we really want to do this now? We're only just back together. Maybe we should wait for the perfect moment." Reggie suggests.

"Reggie, when are we going to have a more perfect moment than this? You just proposed to me and our performance was brilliant. It's my perfect moment." Jean leans back in to kiss Reggie. She slowly pulls away from the kiss. "What do you think?"

"Oh, what the hell. I was the one who rushed into proposing to you." Reggie pulls Jean flush against him.

Jean smiles cheekily. She's not used to Reggie being so powerful and forceful. She likes it though. It makes her feel very attractive. Jean lets Reggie take control of the situation. It's clear that he's more confident than she is. Jean sits up a little and Reggie carefully unties her dressing gown. "You make me feel so beautiful, Reggie." Jean whispers.

"You are beautiful, Jean. Please tell me if you get too uncomfortable." Reggie says gently. He slides his hand into her dressing gown along her bare shoulder.

"I'm okay so far." Jean says gently. Jean shrugs her dressing gown off leaving just her black satin nightgown on. The neckline is lacy and elegant and she feels beautiful in it.

Suddenly Reggie is feeling much less comfortable than he was five minutes ago. Jean is stunning, though she doesn't know that. "My God, you're so sexy. Do you realize that?"

Jean shakes her head. "I haven't felt that way in a long time."

"You should feel that way every single day. I hope I can help you feel that way." Reggie says gently.

Jean reaches out and runs her fingers down the buttons on Reggie's pyjama shirt. She slowly unbuttons his shirt to give him a chance to change his mind. This time Reggie doesn't stop Jean. Jean runs her hands over Reggie's smooth chest.

"You are cheeky and bold, Jean Horton." Reggie teases her.

"You have no idea." Jean says cheekily before she slowly French kisses Reggie.

Reggie carefully rolls over on top of Jean. He doesn't want to sit or lay the wrong way on her and aggravate her hip. "Is that okay? I don't want you to be hurt." Reggie asks breathily as he pulls away from their kiss.

"I'm okay as long as I'm on the bottom. I need to be supported by something." Jean explains to Reggie.

Reggie presses kisses along Jean's collar bone. He's going slowly while still dictating the situation. Jean settles her head on a pillow and pulls Reggie down to kiss her. Reggie slowly pulls Jean's nightgown up and then says, "Alright, sit up. Let's get this off."

Jean sits up with her tousled hair falling around her face. Reggie kisses her softly. "Don't be disappointed." Jean whispers.

Reggie removes her nightgown, kisses Jean's bare shoulder, and says, "You are absolutely beautiful and I love you." Reggie says seriously. He snaps his eyes closed when Jean's nimble fingers begin to work on his pyjama pants.


	12. Getting Old is Not for Sissies

When Jean is laying Reggie's arms later, looking at him, she says, "Remind me to go and see Frank White tomorrow. I promised him I'd go talk to him about the gala. He's part of the reason I decided to sing." She sounds very tired.

"I'm going to go see Dr. Kogan tomorrow." Reggie says tiredly.

"Whatever for? Are you feeling alright?" Jean asks with concern in her voice.

"I'm feeling just fine, not to worry. A couple of things about tonight concerned me. I'm going to go talk to Dr. Kogan about getting some Viagra for me and some non-water based lubricant for you. I don't want these experiences to be uncomfortable for you." Reggie says gently.

"Oh sweetheart, do you feel like you need the Viagra because I don't happen to think you do. You were marvellous tonight. We can't expect the stars and fireworks as often now as we did all those years ago." Jean says sweetly.

"I want you to have sunbursts and marble halls. I would appreciate a little more stamina. I know I can't set my expectations very high, but they could be a little higher. I just want to know my options really. I'm not making any firm decisions yet." Reggie says seriously.

"Alright darling, if you're sure. The lubricant sounds like a good idea thought." Jean cuddles against Reggie whose heart is still pounding. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm just finding this all a little surreal. I'm really happy, I promise." Reggie smiles at Jean.

"I'm happy too. Get some sleep darling. Wilf will have lots of questions tomorrow, I'm sure." Jean says sleepily.


	13. Teasing at Breakfast

When Jean wakes up in the morning Reggie is already gone. She's a little bit disappointed. She was hoping he'd be here when she woke up. Jean climbs out of bed and pulls her dressing gown on before she goes into her closet to find an outfit for the day. She opens a drawer in her dresser and finds a peach sweater before she pulls a pair of grey trousers out of the closet and a pair of black shoes as well. She quickly gets dressed and heads down to the dining room for breakfast. Wilf, Cissy, and Reggie are already at breakfast. "Morning darling." Jean hugs Reggie from behind and kisses his cheek.

"Morning sweetheart. I was going to wake you before I came down to breakfast, but I couldn't bear to. You looked so lovely. You look beautiful this morning by the way." Reggie says sweetly.

"Reggie, you devil, you got lucky last night, didn't you?" Wilf asks cheekily.

"A gentleman never kisses and tells, Wilf." Reggie says firmly.

"Well, at the very least you stayed overnight together, which is a huge step for the two of you." Wilf continues to tease the couple.

"That's true, but you're not getting any more information out of me." Reggie remains resolute. Jean is quite glad Reggie is being discreet.

"Oh Reg, you're cruel. You're going to keep me guessing for a while, aren't you?" Wilf chuckles at Reg.

"Yes, I'm going to keep you guessing forever. I'm not going to be indiscreet with Jean's reputation." Reggie is adamant.

"You're so sweet, Reggie. Thank you." Jean pours herself a cup of tea and waits for Angélique to bring breakfast.


	14. Praise and Ideas for Next Year

"Reginald, your quartet was brilliant last night." Cedric says from his table.

"Thank you, Cedric, but I can't take all the credit. There were three other people on the stage with me." Reg hates taking all the credit for anything.

"So, shall we start planning our performance for the gala for next year?" Wilf asks teasingly.

"Oh God, let me have some down time before I start thinking about next year. I'm still coming down from the stress of this year." Jean sighs heavily.

"We have options, I suppose, with four of us." Reggie contemplates carefully.

"Let's not think about any of it today. Shall the four of us go for a walk after lunch?" Jean suggests to her friends.

"Why can't we go now?" Cissy asks Jean.

"I have some things to do this morning and so does Reggie, so we can only go for a walk this afternoon." Jean tells Cissy and Wilf.

"It would be great for the four of us to just have some down time and relax a little bit. We all deserve it." Cissy says sweetly.

"Well, let's plan for that then. Thank you, Angélique." Jean says as Angélique puts her breakfast down in front of her.

"Jean Horton, you are positively glowing. I haven't seen you this happy since you came to Beecham's." Wilf smiles brightly at Jean. She's never looked more beautiful.

"Thank you, Wilf. I'm much happier now than I was when I first came to Beecham's." Jean says with a genuine smile.


	15. Awkward!

The rest of breakfast is quiet and even Cissy doesn't interrupt the quiet contemplation. Reggie feels Jean's hand on his knee under the table. He leans over and whispers, "You are being very daring, Jean Horton."

Jean blushes demurely. She doesn't want to embarrass Reggie in front of their friends. "You're not uncomfortable, are you?" Jean whispers.

"No, I'm not uncomfortable at all." Reggie puts his arm along the back of Jean's chair.

"You two are so sweet together!" Dr. Kogan says as she comes over to the table where Reggie, Jean, Wilf and Cissy are sitting.

"Thank you, Dr. Kogan." Reggie says politely.

"Miss Horton, I hope you feel more at home here at Beecham's now. You certainly have fit in very well." Dr. Kogan says seriously.

"I do feel more at home here now. Thank you, Dr. Kogan. You've been very kind to me." Jean says sweetly.

"Dr. Kogan, can I come and talk to you after breakfast?" Reggie asks seriously.

"Of course Reginald. I'll see you after breakfast. Are you alright?" Dr. Kogan asks with concern in her voice.

"I'm fine. I just have a couple of concerns that arose last night." Reggie brushes off Dr. Kogan's concern.

"Reg, are you having trouble in the bedroom department already? That would worry me." Wilf teases Reg.

"Shut up Wilf. I happen to know you have a prescription for little blue pills when I know you have no reason for them." Reg says firmly.

"Reggie, don't be nasty. There's no reason for behaviour like that." Jean says gently.

"Listen to the woman, Reg. I think you'll be in trouble if you don't." Wilf continues to tease Reg.

"Wilf, don't talk about Jean that way. She doesn't deserve that from you. She's changed. Can you say the same?" Reg asks critically.

"Oh Reg, I'm only teasing. Where'd your sense of humour go? Did it abandon you when you got back with Jean?" Wilf asks teasingly.

"I just want Jean to feel like she belongs with our group." Reg says quietly.

"With Wilf teasing me I do feel like I belong. Don't worry so much, Reggie." Jean says gently.

Reggie leans over and kisses Jean's cheek. "I love you, Jean."


	16. It Isn't Serious, Is It?

Jean finishes her tea and says, "I'm off to see Frank and I'll be in my room after if you get done with Dr. Kogan early."

"Okay sweetheart. Say hi to Frank for me." Reggie smiles at Jean.

"I will darling." Jean squeezes Reggie's hand gets up from her chair.

Reggie leans back in his seat when Jean leaves. He has a wide smile on his face. "I can't believe all this is happening!" Reg says incredulously.

Wilf can't believe his friend's behaviour. "Reg, I don't think I've ever seen you this happy."

"That's because I haven't been this happy since the last time I was in a relationship with Jean. She makes me happy, except when she doesn't." Reg says honestly. "I better go too. Dr. Kogan is expecting me."

"You're being awfully cagey, Reg. We're not going to think less of you if you tell us what's going on with you." Wilf says reminding Reg that normally they tell each other everything.

"You don't need to know this. Just because you tell me when you need to widdle doesn't mean I'm going to tell you everything about me." Reg says firmly.

"Alright, fine, don't tell me. You would tell us if there was something seriously wrong, wouldn't you?" Wilf asks seriously.

"Of course I would. I tell you the important things and that's all that matters." Reg says firmly.


	17. Uncomfortable Conversation

Reg walks down the hall to Dr. Kogan's office. He knocks first and then enters her office.

"What can I do for you, Reginald?" Dr. Kogan asks from her seat behind her desk.

Reg sits down across from Dr. Kogan. "It's quite personal and I don't like to talk about it, but after last night I need to do something." Reg sighs heavily.

"Reginald, are you asking me for a Viagra prescription?" Dr. Kogan asks gently,

Reg runs his hands over his face before he answers. "Yes, I am, I think. It's not a huge thing, but it did make me feel a bit awkward. I don't want Jean to have to deal with that again. I was also going to ask you about getting some non-water based lubricant for Jean. I think Jean found last night more uncomfortable than she would ever admit."

"I can do that for you, Reginald. The lubricant doesn't require a prescription, but the Viagra does. I'll write you a prescription for that now and you can go to the pharmacy and have it filled." Dr. Kogan says gently. She doesn't want to push Reg too far.

"Thank you, Dr. Kogan. I appreciate that very much." Reg says seriously.

"Reginald, I just want you to live a long, full life with Jean and part of that also includes a love life. jean needs to be happy and so do you." Dr. Kogan says sweetly.

"Thank you, Dr. Kogan. I was so angry at her, not so very long ago, until very recently. She has a fiery side for sure, but I love that side of her too." Reg says sentimentally.

"I've never seen this side of you, Reg. I'm glad you are so happy. It makes Beecham's feel much cosier." Dr. Kogan smiles at Reg as she hands him a bottle of lubricant and a prescription sheet.

Reggie leaves Dr. Kogan's office and walks down to the pharmacy. He hands the pharmacist his prescription and the pharmacist immediately fills it for him. Reggie walks up to Jean's room with the two items.


	18. Moments Conjure Memories

Jean has had her conversation with Frank White and is now back in her room. She looks up when the door to her room opens. "Hi sweetheart. That was a short visit with Dr. Kogan."

"She was really great with me. She was really open and I wasn't uncomfortable with her at all. I got all the things I wanted to get." Reggie walks over to where Jean is sitting, sits on the arm of her chair, puts his arm around her shoulders and kisses the top of her head.

Jean leans her head against Reggie's side. "I love you, Reggie. You've been really sweet and I appreciate it so much. I have a friend who's coming to visit next weekend and I'm so excited to introduce her to you. You've never met her before."

"You seem so much more at ease here now even within yourself. It's so nice to see in you. The growth in your confidence is wonderful. I can't wait to meet your friend." Reggie is happy with Jean and she has suddenly made his life much more complete. Jean was never this outwardly or publicly demonstrative when they were a couple the first time around and he likes it.

Jean curls her feet under her on the chair. It hurts her hip a little bit, but she feels cosy. Reggie thinks she looks absolutely beautiful. Jean is so elegant and yet she has a more warm, open side than Reggie has ever seen from her.

"I love you, Jean. I feel like I could use a nap though. I haven't been this tired in a very long time." Reggie leans his head on top of Jean's.

Jean yawns softly and Reggie flashes back to a moment like this in Paris, in a hotel, many years ago. Jean was sitting curled on a floral sofa in her bare feet looking out this window on a snowy city. The weather, of course, didn't matter very much to Jean and Reggie that particular weekend. Reggie and Jean were having their first consecutive, coordinated days off in over a year. Her hair was tousled and messy, but Reggie thought that was the most beautiful he'd ever seen her look. She was wearing one of the hotel's white fluffy bathrobes and not doing anything, but that didn't matter. Reggie remembers sitting down on the sofa and massaging Jean's feet. He also remembers Jean seducing him on the first night they were in Paris. When Reggie comes out of his daydream Jean is looking at him. "What is it?" Reggie asks Jean.

"You weren't even in the same room with me. Where did you just go?" Jean asks gently.

"Why don't we go cuddle on the bed and I'll tell you?" Reggie asks as he stands up.

Jean follows Reggie over to the bed and cuddles against him. "What were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about the last time we were in Paris on vacation together." Reggie smiles wistfully.

Jean thinks back carefully on her time with Reggie and smiles cheekily. "I remember that vacation. It snowed and we didn't leave the hotel much."

"No, we didn't. I remember thinking you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I felt so lucky to have you in my life." Reggie says seriously.

"I feel lucky to have you in my life now." Jean is equally serious when she speaks.

Reggie runs his fingers through Jean's short hair. He's so relaxed with her and that's a new development with them. Jean was always difficult to be completely comfortable with.


End file.
